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Sat, 6 Oct 2001, 09:52 PM

CHRRX - Nostalgia Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Gerard

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Nostalgia Top Fuel at the 10th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion Presented by Automobile Club of Southern California listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

Left Lane: John Edmunds Runs 7.617/161.98, Now #1
Right Lane: John Shoemaker No Time, Now #2

12:14PM Here we are at the tenth annual Gathering of Geezers (I definitely qualify for that title ). We have high clouds and moderate temperatures. Perfect fall weather in the valley. Shoemaker is away before the lights are started and runs a 7.085. Edwards follows down to complete the pair. These numbers are not going to hold up with the conditions today.

Left Lane: Ty Norton Runs 10.891/110.10, Now #3
Right Lane: Shep Ginzburg Runs 8.915/122.19, Now #2

Both dragsters are up in smoke immediately. They smoke the tires to midtrack and Norton gives up first as he drifts towards the guard rail.

Left Lane: Jim Boyd No Time, Now #5
Right Lane: Pierre Poncia No Time, Now #6

Weird ocurence here. Boyd has to shut off before staging and Poncia leaves after prestaging! Both cars will have to wait for the next session.

Left Lane: Tim Gibson Runs 12.403/67.02, Now #5
Right Lane: Mike McLennan Runs 6.170/232.85, Now #1

Gibson is away first, but has a big bang and fire by the 330 mark. McLennan's run is clean and smooth to take over the top spot for now.

Left Lane: Fred Farndon Runs 7.270/182.96, Now #2
Right Lane: Mike McLennan Runs 6.167/220.85, Now #1

We have been down for cleanup from Gibson's run for about 20 minutes. I have a special interest in Fred Farndon, this weekend. He has recently moved up to NTF from A\Fuel. Fred was the last driver for my old "Butters and Gerard" top fuel car. He has asked my partner, Bill Butters, to be his honorary chew chief today. He makes a good run, but Dunlap is on a march and jumps into the current number one spot.

Left Lane: Rick McGee Runs 9.212/88.46, Now #6
Right Lane: Kent Terry Runs 6.506/220.31, Now #2

Good run for Terry into the current number 2 spot. McGee is up in smoke right off the line, pumps it two or three times, and then shuts off.

Left Lane: Mark Malde Runs 6.479/213.62, Now #3
Right Lane: Kirk Kuhns Runs 6.289/218.76, Now #2

Great side by side run! Malde is out first with the front wheels in the air. Kuhns pulls on by Malde and takes over the number 2 spot.

Left Lane: Denver Schutz Runs 6.247/234.55, Now #2
Right Lane: Butch Blair Runs 6.367/226.01, Now #4

Looks like everyone one wants to be number 2! Schutz takes it over with a new top speed of the meet. Blair is right beside him with another great side by side run.

Left Lane: Jim Murphy Runs 7.993/150.93, Now #9
Right Lane: Rance McDaniel Runs 14.870/69.83, Now #14

Both clutch guys were going for the number one spot and went too far. They go up in smoke together at the hit.

Left Lane: Lee Jennings Runs 6.112/228.54, Now #1
Right Lane: Jack Harris Runs 6.128/244.43, Now #2

Jennings jumps out first and is never headed. Harris has to settle for the number two stop and a new top speed of the meet.

Left Lane: Bob Muravez Runs 6.298/244.77, Now #6
Right Lane: Brendan Murry No Time, Now #21

Murry has something go bad and has to shut off the motor in the prestage. Muravez makes a clean run into the current field.

Left Lane: Howard Haight Runs 6.140/204.68, Now #3
Right Lane: Rich Howell Runs 15.308/65.69, Now #19

Howell has a huge American flag flying from a pole at the back of his dragster during the burn out! The bump is currently 6.367 and Howell will have to wait for the next session, as he is immediately up in smoke. Haight runs hard to the 1000 foot, but has to click it when smoke starts to pour out of the headers.-

Left Lane: Jason Howell Runs 6.143/237.59, Now #5
Right Lane: Gerry Steiner Runs 5.972/247.32, Now #1

Howell jumps out first, but is quickly passed by Steiner. His numbers stun the crowd. This has been coming for a while. At recent Good Guys races, he has been running better and better with great MPH.

Right Lane: Denver Schutz Runs 6.247/234.55, Now #7

Vance Hunt is out helping today. Looks like they will need to do more work in the clutch can, as Schutz is up in smoke, lifts, and stabs. He finally gives it up at mid track.

Left Lane: Glenn Hutchison Runs 6.147/230.53, Now #6

Here's the twenty fifth and final car of the session. Hutchinson is running a "little" 369 motor and relies on a higher RPM than most. He brings the session to an end with a move into the number 6 spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink